Control mechanism for elevator cars



M31, 1940. E.W.FENN 2,227,337

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR CARS Filed May 20, 19:57;

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Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Emory W. Fenn, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 20, 1937, Serial No. 143,638

Claim.

This invention relates to control means for motor circuits for elevator cars and the like.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide means for controlling any circuit for 5 any elevator car by the movement of the elevator door.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide means for positively breaking contact means cut into any circuit for any elevator car by the opening movement of the door, and means for closing said contact means when the elevator door is closed.

The positive breaking of contact means in the circuit for the elevator car by the opening movement of the door provides great practical advantages not heretofore secured where the circuit is controlled by the movement of the car or by latch means for the door.

It is to be understood, however, that the present 00 invention is not limited to breaking contact by the opening of the door, but may be employed positively to make contact or positively to make and break contact by the movement of the door.

Further objects and advantages of the inven- 0 tion will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an elevator door showing diagrammatically the motor cir- 30 cult for the elevator car, and an embodiment of the present invention in connection therewith;

Figure 2 is a detail section showing the position of the car circuit control means, with the elevator door moved toward open position; and

Figure 3 is a detail view, partially in section and partially in elevation, showing the position of the car circuit control means when the door is closed.

Referring to the drawing, the door selected for illustration comprises an upper panel or door section'S and a lower panel or door section 6. The door sections 5 and 8 are interconnected, and in closed position the bottom of the upper door 45 section 5 meets the top of the lower door section at I. In opening, the door sections 5 and 6 move away from each other vertically, as well understood in the art. Thedoor may be counterbalanced as suitable or desired.

50 The latch mechanism for the door is shown as comprising a disc 8 pivoted to the lower door section at 9 and provided with a handle Ill. The disc 8 has latch arms II and i2 pivoted thereto at I! and I4, respectively. The outer ends of the 55 latch arms II and II are arranged to engage suitable stops l5 secured to the vertical guides ii for guiding the door sections in their opening and closing movements. A spring I! connected at one end to the lower door section and at its opposite end to the disc 8 tends to rotate the disc 8 counterclockwise (Figure. 1) to maintain the 5 latch arms II and i2 in projected position.

When the doors sections 5 and 6 are brought together in closed position as shown in Figure l, the outer'ends of the latch arms II and i2 snap over the stops I5 and latch the door closed. 10 When it is desired to open the door, the handle I0 is turned to rotate the disc 8 clockwise (Figure 1 against the action of the spring l8 to disengage the latch arms H and I2 from the stops I5 so that the door sections may be separated.

The elevator car (not shown) is provided with a car operating motor connected into a suitable circuit 2| which may be provided with any suitable or preferred car control indicated at 22, and may be supplied from any suitable source of current.

The conductors 22 of the car motor circuit 2| are connected to contacts 25 mounted upon an insulating contact block 26 which may be se- 95 cured in place on one of the guides l6 or otherwise at one side of the door. An arm 28, pivoted at 29, has one end 30 which underlies the bottom or lower edge of the lower door section 6 in the closed position of the door, as shown in Figure 3. 30 The opposite end of the arm 28 is pivoted at 32 to a link 33 which, in turn, is pivotedto a lug 34 depending from an-insulating bridging contact carrier 35.

The bridging con-tact carrier 35 may be enclosed in a housing 38 secured in place at 31. The bottom of the housing 36 has an opening 39 through which the connection with the pivoted arm 28 operates. A spring 38 normally maintains the insulating contact carrier 35 in the position shown in Figure 3, and the insulating contact carrier 35 carries a bridging contact 40 which, in the position shown in Figure 3, engages or bridges the contacts 25, and thereby closes the car motor circuit so that the elevator car may be operated as desired when the door is closed.

In opening the door the latch means is released and as soon as the lower door section I moves downwardly the lower edge thereof, by engagement with the underlying end ill of the arm 2!, swings this arm clockwise (Figures 2 and 3) about the pivot 29 to move the contact carrier 35 upwardly to the position shown in Figure 2. This upward movement of the contact carrier separates the bridging contact 40 from the lower contact and thereby opens the car motor circuit 2| so that the car cannot be operated so long as the door is open. As the lower door section 6 reaches its closed position in closing the door, the pivoted arm 28 is released and the spring 38 returns the contact carrier to the position shown in Figure 3, thereby engaging the bridging contact with both contacts 25 to close the car motorcircuit 2| so that the elevator car may be operated as desired so long as the door is closed.

With the arrangement shown and described, it will be apparent that the circuit for the elevator car motor is controlled by movement of the elevator door, and, more particularly, the opening movementof the door positively breaks the contact means in the circuit for the elevator car operating motor. The controlling of the car circuit by the movement of the door, and particularly the positive actuation of the contact means in the car circuit by the movement of the door are important aspects of the present invention. As already pointed out, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to breaking contact by the opening of the door, but may be'arranged positively to make contact or positively to make and break contact by the movement of the door.

The foregoing variations and other variations are contemplated within the scope of the present invention, and therefore I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim:

1. In combination, a motor circuit for an elevator car, a switch connected in said circuit and fixedly mounted on the door casing, an elevator door mounted for rectilinear movement to open and closed positions, and an arm having fixed pivotal support on the door casing in juxtaposition to said door and permanently connected to said switch, said arm, when the door is closed, extending into the path of rectilinear movement of the door so as to be swung about its pivot in a direction to open said switch by the opening, movement of the door and regardless of the position of the elevator car and blocked, by the door, positively against swinging movement to switch closed position as long as the door is open and until the same is returned to closed position.

2. In combination, a motor circuit for an elevator, car, a switch connected in said circuit and fixedly mounted on the door casing, an elevator door mounted for vertical sliding movement to open and closed positions, a member shiftable vertically along the side of the door for opening and closing said switch, and an arm having fixed pivotal support on the door casing in juxtaposition to said door and permanently connected to said last mentioned member, said arm, when the door is closed, extending into the path of vertical movement of the door so as to be swung about its pivot in a direction to open said switch by the opening movement of the door and regardless of the position of the elevator car and blocked, by the door, positively against swinging movement to switch closed position as long as the door is open and until the same is returned to closed position.

3. In combination, a motor circuit for an elevator car, a switch connected in said circuit and fixedly mounted on the door casing, an elevator door mounted for vertical sliding movement to open and closed positions, a member shiftable vertically along the side of the door for opening and closing said switch, and an arm having fixed pivotal support on the door casing in juxtaposition to said door and overlapping one end of the door when the door and switch are closed, said arm being swung by the end or the door in the opening movement thereof about its pivot in a direction to open said switch regardless of the position of the elevator car and being blocked .by the side of the door positively against swinging movement to switch closed position as long as the door is open and until same is returned to closed position.

4. In combination, a motor circuit for an elevator car, a switch connected in said circuit and fixedly mounted on the door casing, an elevator door mounted for rectilinear movement to open and closed positions, an arm having fixed pivotal support on the door casing in juxtaposition to said door and permanently connected to said switch, said arm, when the door is closed, extending into the path of rectilinear movement of the door so as to be swung about its pivot in a direction to open said switch by the opening movement of the door and regardless of the position of the elevator car and blocked, by the door, positively against swinging movement to closed position as long as the door is open and until the same is returned to closed position, and spring means for actuating said contact means to closed position when the door reaches closed position.

5. In combination, a motor circuit for an elevator car, an elevator door comprising upper and lower door sections movable vertically away from and toward each other in opening and closing the door, and a switch connected in the motor circuit for the elevator car and mounted on the door casing adjacent the door, said switch including an arm permanently connected therewith and having fixed pivotal support on the door casing with one end of said arm adapted for direct engagement with one side of one of said door sections so as to hold the switch open by engagement of the side of said door section with said arm as long. as the door is open and regardless of the position of the elevator car, said switch arm being so positioned that when the door is c osed the side of the cooperating door section is removed from cooperation with said arm to permit closing of said switch.

EMORY W. FENN. 

